Superhero suits

[beccaelizabeth]

Which is the expensive bit of the Iron Man and Spider-man suits?
Like, is it expensive because it's made of gold and other expensive bits?
Or because it takes a lot of machines to make the machines that make it?
Or because there are many workers involved somewhere?
Or because there are lots of parts bought in from many places, not just Tony fabricating things?
Or because Tony is adding his own work in as costing giant money per hour?

... he charged SHIELD for his consulting hours and reckoned they couldn't afford him, yesno?

But like, why are things expensive?

And is he talking about the cost or the price?

Comments

[ceruleancat]

Stark's knowhow and skills, engineering and programming innovations, patenting, access.
A lot of things are not expensive for the actual material. Diamonds are not expensive for the actual material, oddly enough.

[baronjanus]

Considering, anything Tony makes for himself is not very expensive - if his time is free, well the metals are fancy and all, but all the actual tech stuff and fiddly little computer things, he does that for himself. And for Peter. HOWEVER. It's "expensive", actually priceless, because it's one of a kind. Or, in Tony's case, maybe there are forty-something of the kind? But it's an incredibly limited issue. That's where the price is. That, and how advanced it is. No one else has a toy this smart.

How much is the Mona Lisa? It's just a piece of fabric and some paint, and the dude who actually put in the work is long dead, so he doesn't need to get paid...